The Whites Part 1

This post is from our newest server, Nick, who's favorite book has been Vino Italiano by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch.






La Tunella, ‘Selenze’ Rjgialla, Colli Orientali Del Friuli 2006

Ribolla Gialla (Grape)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia. One of Friuil’s premier native varietals. Probably brought to the area via Slovenia from Greece. The grape makes firm, floral whites, especially in zones such as Rosazzo in the Colli Orientali DOC. Known as Rebula in Slovenia. Ribolla Nera is a Synonym for Schioppettino (Vino Italiano 399). Makes apply, fresh still wines and some methode champenoise sparklers (Vino Italiano 40).

Colli Orientali Del Friuli DOC (1970)
Literally “Eastern hills of Friuli,” a band of hills following the contours of the Julian Alps, running from Manzano (southeast of Udine). Soils: calcareous marl and sandstone. There are three delimited subzones: (1) Ramandolo, in the extreme North, near Tarcento (2) Cialla, esat of Cividale near Slovenian border (3) Rosazzo, in the hills of the commune of the same name, southeast of Udine (Vino Italiano 411).
Gianni Menotti says in Vino Italiano on page 30:
There are certain benefits to being on a hill. There is not a great deal of difference in temperature between here and the plain, but the quality of light in the hills, because of the angle the sun’s rays hit the vines, is better. There’s less humidity than in the plain, and better drainage. And the nights are cooler in the hills.

Tasting:
Chardonnay-like. Fruit forward. Medium-bodied. Plenty of mouth-feel. Lively, zesty, hints of lemon. No oak. Straw-yellow color.

Crystalline straw-yellow color with green reflections. The nose spans across notes of acacia, plum, yellow peach, green apple. The palate is intense and full with a supple body, echoing the wine’s varietal character, while also dry and pleasantly fresh. The long finish develops pleasing notes of lemon that accompany and elegant and slightly aromatic aftertaste (quintessentialwines.com).

Niklas, Kerner, Alto Adige 2008 (Riesling, Schiava)

Kerner is a cross of the Schiava Grossa grape and Riesling. Apricot and peach make a delicate, refined nose. Lots of shimmering minerals the wine shows green pepper and mineral notes in perfect counter-balance to clean, tropical fruit notes (portovinoitaliano.com)
Precise and complex aromatics. Musky white peach with a leafy-mineraly tone; the acidity you find in a Riesling. Great way to start a meal. Ages well.

Trenito-Alto Adige
More in common with Austria or Germany than southern Italy. Wines tend to taste like they bubble up from a mountain spring (Vino Italiano).

Tasting: Bright mineral up front. Stone fruit (peach, apricot). Slight lime.

Colle dei Bardellini, Pigato, Riviera Ligure di Ponente, Liguria, 2007

Winery
One of the best known Ligurian wineries, owned by Genovese restauranteurs Pino and Luigi Sola. Both Vermentino and Pigato are excellent here, redolent of the herbal Mediterranean scrub and ready for a plate of fragrant pesto-drenched pasta (Vino Italiano 466).

Riviera Ligure di Ponente (sub-region)
Ranges from the outskirts of Genoa to the French border. The grapes in this wine are from this sub-region.

Pigato
Believed to be an ancient Greek export, the plant looks similar to vermentino Herbal, scrub-brushy qualities Salty kick on palate Perfumed! Bitting on the finish Speaks clearly of where it’s from (Vino Italiano 167)

Tasting
Salty, `slightly crisp, light, soft. An apertif wine.


Elvio Cogno, ‘Anas-Cetta,’ Nascetta, Langhe, Piedmonte 2007

The Langhe Hills
Taking in a broad area around the city of Alba, mostly East of Tanaro River. Over laps many DOC(G)s including: Brolo, Barbaresco and Rocro Arneis.
Soils: calcareous clays. Viticulture in Langhe is all about subtle variations in attitude, exposure to the sun and soil composition. Ofter vinters own chunks of more than one slope, and when it comes time to bottle their wines, they have distinct brands determined not by the whims of the wine makes but by the whims of nature (Vino Italiano).

Nas-cetta
Seemingly unique to the commune of Novello. Fermented in stinless steel (70%) and Barrique (30%). Then aged in steel then oak for 6 months each, prior to 6 months in bottle before release (the wine doctor.com/italy/cogno.html)
Sensory Profile: Straw-yellow color with golden highlights. A find and elegant nose with right intensity exudes complex, lingering scents of wild flowers and herbs, citrus and exotic fruits. The bouquet suggests acacia honey, sage and rosemary. Its pleasant, warm and balanced structure makes it ideal as an accompaniment to vegetable dishes, white meats, fish and creamy cheeses (elviocogno.com)

Tasting: Slight vanilla, honey, warm hay. Light acid. Some mineral. Warm.


Pacher Hof, Gruner Veltliner, Valle Isarco, Alto Adige 2008

Passion fruit, lime, flowers and spices all come together in this superb, complex and subtle Gruner. The vineyard lies 700 meters above sea level, just above the ancient Abbazia di Novacella monastic complex. Very old cines planted in gravel and sandstone. The soil produces wines of vibrantly aromatic character: bright, steely and elegant. The winery is in the process of becoming 100 percent biodynamic (klwines.com).

Valle Isarco
High-altitude sites mostly on the west bank of the Isarco River, facing south-south-east, between Bolzano and Bressanone. Northern most DOC zone in Italy.

Tasting: Simple, easy drinking, acidic.

Balleani, ‘Donna Ginerva’ Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jese, Le Marche 2007

Crisp, full floral wine with distinctive aromas of pine and herb. It is also called Greco or Trebbiano. Redolent of sour apple, pear and green herbs all cleans up with a refreshing blast of acidity and the trademark, almost bitter, finish. Although not typically a full bodied white, it has a distinctive aroma and flavor. It has what cinters call varrietal character, in that you can tell whit it is when you smell and taste it, even if you cant precisely define what those smells and tastes are. Distinctively piney, resiny flavor, suggestions of sour apple bosc pear and green herbs. Green grape flavor known for its natural acidity. Savory and fruity (Vino Italiano).

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jese
DOC in 1968, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jese has gentile hills of Ancona, fanning westward from the commune of Jesi. Soils: calcareous clays and crumbly limestone. It is a good soil for white grapes because it delays ripening and helps preserve acidity. Most vineyards in the DOC are within 20 miles of the Adriatic, which moderates climate. Verdicchio has to compose 85 percent minium of all wines from the region. Reserva minimum is two years with six being in the bottle. The grape is native to Le Marche and grows on either side of the Esino River, est of the medieval hill town of Jesi (Vino Italiano).

Tasting: Fruit-forward and sweet. Banana and pear. Yellow fruits.

COS ‘Rami,’ Sicilia, 2007, Insolia and Grecanico

Grecanico Dorato: Crisp, appely, white possibly related to the Greco of the mainland. Of all the Sicilian natives, Grecanico has the most penetrating acidity and freshness, even in a climate that can easily overripen just about anything you plant. Frecanico is on the those classic Italian whites that matures very late, so it is good for Sicily (Francisca Plaveta, Vino Italiano).
Insolia: native to western Sicily.

COS Rami
A blend of Insolia and Grecanico from the form the basis for this zesty, crisp white with refreshing, clean personality. It recalls Sicily’s breezy, rocky coast. A delicious white with an unusually long finish, Rami holds a bouquet of white flowers and vanilla, a palate of berries and citrus fruits and a charming acidity. Cos was established by three friends in 1908, whose initials make up the name of the winery. They started the winery as a pleasant pursuit and have since adopted a serious orientation, applying modern viticultural techniques (iwinestore.com). The wine has a pale yellow color and has great aromas of citrus fruits and hints of minerality on the nose. The wine has excellent depth of flavor and is well-balanced with good acidity and a pleasant finish (domaineselect.com). The wine is stored in amphoras and bottled in Marsala bottles.

Tasting: Brine, bright, crisp. Earthy. Pineapple.

Pietratorcia, ‘Vigne del Cutto’ Ischia Bianco, Campania, 2007

Ischia DOC (1966). Blend of Ischia, off the coast of Naples.

Pietratorcia, Vigne del Cutto
Pietratorcia created by the young members of three long-standing Ischian families with the aim of putting Ischia’s wines back on the map. The initial results have been remarkably successful. The wines have depth, complexity and refinement, and oak, when used, is not allowed to dominate the fruit (winepros.com). The nose of the wine reveals intense, clean and pleasing aromas which start with hints of toasted wood and plum, followed by aromas of apple, pear, hawthorn banana and hints of coffee. Suggested pairing: broiled fish and shellfish (zigzagando.com).

Grapes
Biancolella (45%): a blending grape from Campania. A great seafood pairing grape. It produces aromatic, yet acidic, dry/sweet still and sparkling varietal white wines and blends in combination with such varieties as Forastera. All for early consumption
Forastera (45%): A specialty of the island of Ischia. It is used to make Ischia Bianco. The wine is straw-yellow in color and is dry and harmonic to the palate.
Uva Rilla (5%): Green grape native to Ischia used for blending Ischia DOC wines.
San Leonardo (5%): Green grape native to Ischia.

Tasting: Ocean minerality. Briny. Volcanic funk. Bright fruit up front. Ash. Finish is dry and ashy.

Rocca del Principe, Fiano di Avellino, Colli di Lapio, Campania, 2007

DOC (1978): Central Campania in the thickly wooded hills around the commume of Avellino. 85% fiano. The climate is compariable to Piedemonte, The hills rise west and south of Avellino, almost walling the reagion off from Naples.

Fiano di Alvellino
Grown in Campania sinve antiquity, the grape is spicy, smoky and crisp and is probably the most assertively aromatic and fullest body of the region’s whites. It is the most assertive and interesting white grape in Campania. The flavor is strongly reminiscent of pine nuts, herbs and pesto. It is not a full-bodied white, but is aromatic. A direct reflection of the dewy, piney hills in which it grows. A slight suggestion of hazelnut is often detected, but the predominate aromas and flavors are sour and herbal with scents of pine needles and cider apples, infused with an almost peaty smokiness (Vino Italiano).

Tasting: Elegant, yellow fruit up front. Smoky, distinct grassfire, a scotch drinker’s wine.

Terlano, ‘Nova Domus’ Alto Adige, 2005 (Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)

Nova Domus
Yellow color. Very complex fragrance with hints of apricot, tropical fruits, hints of sage and light spice. The taste is salty with good acidity and is full-bodied, well structured and harmonious. Fermented 50% in oak and 50% in tonneaux (kellerei-terlan.com).

Tasting: Multi-functional. Stone fruit and herbal on the nose. The wine is balanced well and all three grapes come through. Pinot bianco provides the fruit, the acid of sauvignon blanc is apparent and the body of a chardonnay is all noticeable.

Ca dei Fratti ‘I Frati,’ Lugana, Lombardia, 2007

Ca dei Fratti
Their trebbiano wines show a more floral, spicy, and forwardly fruity than most trebbiano di Soave wines which create fragrant, minerally whites. Most experts chalk this up to the trebbiano di Soave variety itself (Vino Italiano 103).
Lugana
The Lugana zone is in fact hot and flat, with heavy, fertile soils. But rather than become flabby, the better wines of Lugana retain a shimmer of acidity that lends them a kinship to the mountain wines of the Alto Adige. With this in mind, Ca dei Frati’s “I Frati” is a benchmark (Vino Italiano 103).

The lake Garda region that boarders Lombardia and Venteto. The lake influences the area. The winter months will keep the growing fields warmer. Then, in turn, the summer will keep the fields cooler. Lugana is well revered for its white wine.

100 % Turbiana
Originally thought to be the Trebbiano di Soave but recent research has found it to be its own grape, ancient to this area. Considered to be one of the most will respected but rare white wine regions of northern Italy.

Tasting: Mineral structure, but precise. Limestone.

Argillae, Orvieto, Umbria 2008 (Trebbiano, Grechetto, Chardonnay, Malvasia di Candia, and Sauvignon

Agrillae
Lorenzo Landi is the wine maker (Luciano’s Brother). Blend of trebbiano, grechetto, chardonnay, malvasia di candia (main grape in Frascati), and Sauvignon. Chalk Soils. Very minerally and rocky with lots of yellow fruit. Almost Sancerre like.
Argillae Orvieto is a dry white wine, straw yellow in color, with broad, floral scents and hints of citrus and tropical fruits. In the mouth it has a good complexity and correspondence to the nose, with a fruity taste and a lasting, refreshing finish. It pairs beautifully with hors d’oeuvres, pasta with seafood or vegetables and white meat second courses (www.supercellars.com).
Wine Advocate:
The estate’s 2008 Orvieto is a beautifully-focused wine redolent of peaches, apricots and flowers, all of which come together in a soft-textured style. The Orvieto shows lovely richness at this level. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011.
Score: 87. —Antonio Galloni, August 2009.

Orvieto: DOC 1971
Hills up to 500 meters surrounding the town of Orivieto, southwest of Perugia, and extending into neighboring Lazio. The classico zone is in the center, closer to Orvieto, and includes areas around Lake Corbara. Soils are a mix of sand, clay, limestone over volcanic tufa (Vino Italiano 436).
What makes Orvieto style difficult to pinpoint is the highly variable grape mix prescribed by the DOC. The formula calls for 40 to 60 percent trebbiano, 15 to 25 percent verdello, and a mix of grapes including grechetto, canaiolo bianco (here called drupeggio), malvasia Toscana, and others (Vino Italiano 229).
Grapes:
In the cool, chalky heights, chardonnay retains the minerally class it exhibits more readily in Burgundy, while the local grechetto adds not only a firmness of structure but an assertively aromatic note reminiscent of rennet apples. Antinori literature describes grechetto as a “small, dark-yellow, thick-skinned, highly acidic, low-yielding, notably tannic Umbrian grape that produces creamy wines with unique spicy, herbal, freshly mown hay flavors, good structure, good aging potential, and elegance.” There is no question that grechetto has emerged as the premier native grape of Umbria. Chardonnay, meanwhile, is increasingly used to add some fat to the often thin Orvieto frame.

Tasting:
Sauvingnon shows through with its grassy texture and yellow-fruit flavors. Dry pear and apple with an almond finish. The trebbiano/ grechetto combination is most important. It has a long, tart to dry finish. It may pair well with cheese.


Pra “Monte Grande” Soave Classico, Veneto 2007

Pra “Monte Grande”:
Located in the center of the Classico region. Made from 90 percent gargenega and 10 percent trebbianio. It is aged one year in oak casks.
Soave DOC 1968 (DOCG for Superiore only, 2004):
The Classico zone, first delimited in 1931, is a band of hills between the towns of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone. Soils are volcanic mixed with calcareous clays (Vino Italiano 439).
Without exaggeration, this is the most maligned, misunderstood, and polarized wine district in Italy. Everything about the Soave production discipline has been debated and adjusted so much- from where the vineyards can be planted and how much production is allowed to what grapes can be used in the blend- that the Soave designation has lost much of whatever prestige it may have started with. “everything about the region is geared toward mass production” –Stefano Inama (Vino Italiano 53).
Of the nearly 6 million bottles of Soave produced each year, fewer than a quarter are produced in the original “Classico” zone. (Vino Italiano 54)

Garganega:
There are some strong similarities between garganega and chardonnay. Durable, vigorous, semi-aromatic, and highly variable in their expression. The garganega most people know is flinty, lightly appley, and high in acid- not unlike a midlevel Chablis. When the grape is allowed to fully ripen, it balloons into a juicier, more tropical-tasting wine, with ripe flavors of green melon and pear. In fact, what a well-made Soave offers that a lot of Italian whites don’t is good weght on the palate, which American drinkers in particular have come to expect in their whites. When garganega is blended with trebbiano di Soave, rather than trebbiano toscano, Soave is more invitingly aromatic, with aromas of white flowers and even a touvh of pine on top of the clean, melony fruit (Vino Italiano 54).

Tasting:
Natural creaminess. Elegant. Honeyed.

-THANKS NICK!!!